Value
by Gumnut
Summary: So what exactly was he worth?


Title: Value  
Author: Gumnut  
Fandom: Knight Rider  
Characters: Michael & Kitt  
Challenge: Blaming **elfinessy** for the sudden fic frenzy and **backtothelight** for this one in particular :D  
Rating: PG  
Summary: He wanted to know his worth.  
Word count: 1,133  
Spoilers & warnings: Season 3  
Disclaimer: Mine? You gotta be kidding. Money? Don't have any, don't bother.

Value  
By Gumnut  
1 Jan 2007

"Michael?"

Michael shifted in the driver's seat, settling down for the night. His response had more sleep than wakefulness in it. "Yes, Kitt?"

"I want to ask you something."

Michael squeezed his eyes shut. It had been a very long day. "What, Kitt?"

"And I want you to take me seriously."

Now that knocked a few neurons into gear. "Wha-? Kitt, I always take you seriously."

"That is an argument I would like to win another time, Michael. I want to ask you something now."

"Okay, okay. What's up?" Michael ran a hand over his face and through his hair trying to push exhaustion to one side for a moment.

"I have asked you how much I am worth in the past and you have never given me a straight answer."

Michael stared at the dash a moment. "Kitt, you're asking me that now? C'mon, I'm really tired here."

Kitt's tone was droll. "I am fully aware of your medical state, Michael, as you well know, and I can tell you that it is far from critical. Perhaps if you had gone to bed yesterday when I advised rather than going to that party with our latest client and dancing to all hours of the morning, you might feel just a touch more sprite."

"That was Foundation business."

"I've heard that before." The AI paused, but his voice box flickered a couple of times as if he wanted to say something but was hesitating. "Please Michael, I need to know."

"Why do you need to know?"

"Why do you keep avoiding the question? It is a simple equation. How much am I worth to you?"

Michael bit his lip, shifting in his seat. Why was he avoiding telling the AI? He knew why. He just didn't want to admit it.

"You're very important to me, Kitt."

Kitt didn't say anything to that at first, as if he was waiting for more. When it didn't come, the voice box lit up again. "And?"

Michael's hackles rose. "And what? Isn't that enough?"

"No. I want a numerical value."

"You know how much you cost to build and maintain. There's your number."

"It is not yours, Michael. I want yours."

"What if I don't want to give it?" Michael couldn't help it. He didn't want to answer.

"Why not?"

"Why do you have to ask so many questions?" It was sharp and defensive.

"It is a simple question, Michael. I don't see the problem."

"No, you wouldn't." He flung the door open and climbed out into the night. It was cool and a breeze was blowing through the trees Kitt had hidden them in.

"Michael? What is wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong." He walked over to the edge of the clearing and stood staring out into the dark beyond it.

"There is something wrong. Your vitals have jumped."

"So?"

"Michael, please, what is wrong. If it is my question, I'm sorry."

Michael sighed, rubbing a hand across his face again, his fingers catching in his hair. Now he was being unfair. Playing on Kitt's instinctive concern for his wellbeing to get out of the question. He bit his lip. He knew the answer to his partner's question, why was he afraid to admit it? This was Kitt, this was the whole reason why he was afraid to answer.

When the AI had first asked the question weeks ago, Michael had idly considered answering, but when he did the simple equation Kitt referred to, the answer hit home harder than he expected. He wasn't sure how to handle it. Sure, he knew Kitt was important to him, but when it came down to how important...

"Kitt, let me ask you a question."

"Yes, Michael?"

"How much am I worth to you?"

The AI didn't answer immediately, so Michael continued. "Say we're in a desert and you're bogged in the sand, miles from a fuel station, there are bad guys shooting at us from several directions...what am I worth to you?"

"Michael, I..."

He waited.

"Michael, you are human. I can not equate money with your life."

"I didn't mention money, Kitt. What am I worth to you?"

There was silence for a moment, then Kitt's scanner flicked on, its ruby red light flickering amongst the leaves. It tracked back and forth erratically for several moments before Kitt spoke. "You are everything to me, Michael. You are the centre of my programming. You are the reason for my existence. Without you, there is nothing."

Michael swallowed. He knew as much. It was programming, but then it was so much more. It was also a little hard to hear. There were issues that worried him in that statement, but this was not the time to discuss them.

He straightened his stance. "Yet you ask me to give you a monetary value."

"I'm different. I'm a machine, hardware."

"So?"

"I'm not human."

"So?"

"I can be bought and sold."

Michael's eyes flashed in the dark. "Over my dead body."

"Unfortunately, yes, Michael."

That statement stopped Michael cold, the chill catching in his throat and strangling what he had been going to say.

"Michael, I am an artificial intelligence. My thoughts were manufactured in a factory. I am fully aware of what that entails. I will be sold one day - or scrapped - it is inevitable. There is nothing I can do about it. I would, however, like to know what I am worth in my prime, before they sell my pieces to be made into soft drink cans."

"You don't get it, do you?" Michael's voice was pleading. The thought of seeing Kitt scrapped tore into the core of the problem. "Kitt, it isn't the money, or the hardware, the car or, god forbid, the microchips. Kitt, it is you. My buddy, my pal, my partner, you're worth more to me than I can explain." He fumbled with the words. "The thought of you..." He shut up.

There was absolute silence in the clearing for a moment. Kitt's scanner flickered once and shut off.

"Michael?"

He turned around and lent back on Kitt's front fender. "What?"

"Thank you."

"Just don't ask the question again."

The AI didn't answer, but the driver's side door opened in a clear invitation. Michael took it and flopped into his seat, the door closing quietly behind him.

"You should get some rest, Michael."

"Yeah, I should." He stretched out and managed to get himself comfortable. Kitt turned out the cabin light and darkened the windows. Peace and quiet crept up on him as Kitt tuned down the dash display.

Michael forced his eyes closed and attempted to regain that pleasant doze he had been courting earlier.

"Michael?" Kitt's voice was so quiet, he almost couldn't hear it.

A sigh. "Yes, Kitt."

"I love you too."

-o-o-o-


End file.
